Autoinoculated palmar pustules in neonatal candidiasis

A 2-week-old infant had grouped pustules on the right hand, wrist, and antecubital flexure that appeared after the first week of life. The infant was seen repeatedly to suck the involved areas of the hand and wrist. Clinically typical candidiasis was noted in the oral cavity and the diaper area. Wright's-stained smears of pustular contents, potassium hydroxide preparations of pustular material, and scale from the diaper dermatitis confirmed the presence of pseudohyphae and budding yeasts in all the involved sites. This case demonstrates fairly typical manifestations of neonatal-onset candidiasis, with the unusual feature of unilateral upper extremity pustules that appeared to represent an autoinoculated cutaneous infection.